James Cannella's List of Five

James Cannella is a Chicago-based creative perhaps best known as the founder and lead designer of Accendi Clothing. On top of that, he also hosts a color-friendly Twitter account known as Color of the Day (Color_OTD), where he gathers inspiration from the creative world around him. I reached out to Mr. Cannella to add to the ongoing 'list of five' column where guests list five of their favorite things.

Artist: 6lack

"6lack has been my favorite for the past couple months. I really haven’t found an artist lately that I’ve gotten into as much as him. My situation is notably different than his in the literal sense, but I can relate to how he describes letting your dedication push you through all the early-career struggles, turning yourself into a professional of your craft, and working with the politics of the industry you’re in."

"This book always seems to make its way into my daily life because of how relevant it is. As far as learning how to be consistent with your creative output and becoming an overall professional with your talents, this book is a must read. I know many creatives fall into the trap of 'waiting for inspiration to hit', but that can be detrimental to your momentum and creative output. This book really puts into perspective the fact that you have to approach creativity with respect, and understand that progress and creation come from going all in and trudging through your work day in, day out, whether you’re feeling inspired or not."

"Coming from Chicago, Joefreshgoods is a big inspiration right now. The design of everything he’s been putting out has been getting more refined and elegant, and the way he presents and markets everything is innovative. He’s really raising the bar for Chicago, and his ability to make an impact on so many people through clothes is really something I’m striving for with my brand, Accendi."

"As a graphic designer myself, this one took a while to ruminate on. I’ve noticed a ton of people raising the standard for the design industry, but the one person I’ve looked to for the past year or so is Niko Nice. He’s a great designer, and has a distinct way of making things look elegant and serve a purpose. Brand identity, merchandise design, building collaborative spaces, and so much more. He's killing it on all fronts."

"Going off The War of Art, Mastery by Robert Greene is another great book for learning how to master yourself and tap into your full potential. All honesty, I haven’t finish this one yet because it’s a pretty long book, but there’s endless practical gems littered throughout it. Things like getting back to your roots of what you enjoy, diving all in and learning from the experiences of others, and being consistent with your practice stand out to me."